Self-Management Skills and Applied Behavior Analysis

Self-management interventions are evidence-based behavioral strategies in which various components (e.g., goal setting, self-evaluation, self-monitoring, self-reinforcement, self-instruction) are self-administered alone, or in tandem, to occasion behavior change. Research from the past 50 years has demonstrated that self-management strategies can benefit individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, can be used as antecedent or consequence-based strategies, and can help improve adaptive skills (e.g., social-communication skills; daily-living skills; academic performance; on-task behavior; socially-appropriate play skills). Research has also shown that self-management strategies can help reduce inappropriate vocalizations, self-stimulatory behaviors, aggression, tantrums, and self-injurious behaviors. Social validity data collected during self-management intervention research has suggested that implementation is often intuitive, cost-effective, and results in increased independent living.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Special Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA Patricio Erhard, Travis Wong, Monique Barnett & Terry S. Falcomata
2. Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA Russell Lang

1. Patricio Erhard